This invention relates generally to a split environmental internal combustion engine, which uses partial crankshaft operation so that the engine may operate on less than all of its cylinders under light load conditions and on all of its cylinders under full load conditions. The partial crankshaft operation is accomplished through the use of a self-synchronizing clutch. The clutch is placed between the partial crankshafts of the split engine, and selectively clutches them together. The present invention relates in particular to a self-synchronizing clutch which synchronizes and clutches together the partial crankshafts at intervals of 720.degree., which is two complete relative revolutions between the partial crankshafts, or at a multiple of intervals thereof. The clutch may be used in all types of four-cycle split environmental engines.
Split environmental internal combustion engines can reduce the total amount of exhaust gases and CO.sub.2 emissions of motor vehicles, restrain climatic hothouse effect, reduce contamination of city air, and reduce fuel consumption.
The clutch is a further development of the self-synchronizing clutch disclosed in my copending application mentioned above. The clutch disclosed therein synchronizes and clutches together the partial crankshafts at intervals of 360.degree., which is one complete relative revolution between the partial crankshafts. That clutch is limited in that it can be used only for four-cycle split environmental engines which have specially designed crankshafts.
A major problem associated with other self-synchronizing clutches in the prior art is that they cannot be easily altered to change the clutching intervals from 360.degree. to 720.degree.. Prior art clutches use special signal transmitters which monitor the revolution differences between the partial camshafts of the partial engines and activate the crankshaft clutches to achieve the required clutching actions in a smooth manner. The system is complicated and can be problematic due to the fact that a complex scheme of transferring lines must introduce the signals into the rotating clutches.
A preferable clutch design would be simple, robust, and easily modified so that clutching intervals could be changed from 360.degree. to 720.degree. with no need for complicated activation systems.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the claimed invention to provide a self-synchronizing 720.degree. clutch for installation between the partial crankshafts of split environmental engines, which synchronizes and clutches together the partial crankshafts at intervals of 720.degree. or a multiple thereof.
Another objective of the claimed invention is to provide a clutch that is suitable for all types of four-cycle split environmental internal combustion engines.
A further objective of the claimed invention is to provide a self-synchronizing 720.degree. clutch having a simple design, notwithstanding its comprehensive capability of synchronizing all types of partial-crankshafts of four-cycle split environmental internal combustion engines.